Germany v Turkey may not appear a local derby, but in a way that is exactly what Wednesday’s UEFA EURO 2008™ semi-final in Basel resembles.

Strong ties
Around seven million foreign citizens live in Germany, and two million of them are Turkish, with 400,000 others having similar roots. In the 1960s the booming West German economy produced a labour shortage, prompting a stream of Turkish arrivals. In reverse, four million German tourists flock to Turkish beaches annually. Ties are strong between the two countries, but the relationship has not always been easy between communities, as is often the case with mass immigration. Things have changed for the better though in recent years. Third and fourth-generation Turkish-Germans have founded successful companies in their new home country, creating jobs and making an important contribution to the gross national product. Integration is now strong.

Footballing links
Football has also played its part in bringing together the two cultures. Turkey squad members Hamit Altıntop and Hakan Balta were born in Germany, with hundreds of thousands of others of similar extraction playing at all levels. This has led the Turkish Football Association to open an office in Germany, scouting heavily for future Altıntops and Baltas, something which bore fruit in the 2005 UEFA European Under-17 Championship when Ludenscheid-born Nuri Şahin was the inspiration for Turkey’s triumph. Others of Turkish decent, such as Mehmet Scholl, have represented Germany while the German Sepp Pontiek played a crucial role in Turkey’s international rise when he was national coach, assisted by one Fatih Terim.

Indescribable scenes
In 2006, when Turkey failed to reach the FIFA World Cup finals, many Turkish-Germans started openly supporting the hosts for the first time, flying combined flags from their cars, homes and business. At UEFA EURO 2008™, they have been spoilt for choice. “I talked to my girlfried in Berlin,” said Germany defender Arne Friedrich after Turkey’s quarter-final win, “and she told me that the Turkish celebrations in the streets were indescribable. It will be a very special football party on Wednesday.” His sentiment has been shared by Turkish callers to German radio. “This will be the game of the century for us,” stated one.

All winners
About half a million people are expected to flock to the Fan Mile in Berlin on Wednesday night for the match. “It couldn’t have been better for Berlin than these two teams meeting,” said Fan Mile spokesman Michael Wirtz. Kenan Kolat, chairman of the Association of Turkish Communities in Germany added: “We are already in the final. By this, I mean Germany and Turkey. My car flies both flags. Germany is the fatherland, Turkey the motherland. Both are in our hearts and this is a positive way of showing it.”

Hamit Altıntop is looking further forward than a semi-final reunion with a number of his FC Bayern Munchen team-mates after helping Turkey defeat Croatia in an epic last-eight tie in Vienna. “If we believe in ourselves we can win the tournament,” said the Carlsberg Man of the Match award winner.

Winning penalty
The midfielder covered more ground than any other player – 14.21kms – and came into his own in an unfamiliar role as Turkey’s playmaker following the 76th-minute substitution of Mehmet Topal for Semih Şentürk. Semih went on to rifle in a last-second equaliser after Ivan Klasnić had scored 29 into minutes into extra time for the Croatians, leading to a shoot-out which the team in red won 3-1. Hamit, who drilled in Turkey’s third penalty, said: “We played well as a team and reaching the semi-final is the important thing. It’s vital to be cold-blooded in shoot-outs – you mustn’t show nervousness in football. If we carry on this way, and believe in ourselves, we can win the tournament.”

‘We can beat anybody’
Born in Gelsenkirchen, the 25-year-old spent four successful seasons with FC Schalke 04 before joining Bayern last summer and he could face as many as five of his club colleagues in Wednesday’s semi-final in Basel. He knows only too well that Turkey’s preparations must be perfect if they are to triumph against the odds once more. “It’s important that we rest first and then we can analyse Germany with our coach,” he said. “We can beat anybody if we prepare ourselves properly. All the team showed tonight that it’s important to believe in ourselves, what’s right, and what our coach tells us. If we continue like this we shouldn’t fear any team.”

Hodgson’s choice
Victorious coach Fatih Terim praised his No22 – “When you have footballers like this you don’t lose,” he said – along with the UEFA Technical Team who voted Hamit as the Man of the Match after hearing the results of the online vote on euro2008.com. One of that number, Roy Hodgson, said of the midfielder’s display: “There were several candidates but obviously we decided upon a Turkish player because they won the penalty shoot-out and I thought Altıntop’s performance throughout the game was extremely good. He both defended and attacked very, very well and was a key figure alongside Tuncay [Şanlı] in the centre of the midfield. I thought as the game went on the Turkish midfield got stronger and stronger.”

‘Exceptional’ Modrić
The Fulham FC manager had words of consolation for Luke Modrić who “had an exceptional game in midfield for Croatia” before missing the first spot-kick in the shoot-out. Hodgson added: “Extra time was an exciting period and it’s quite amazing that Turkey can pull a match out of the fire with only two or three minutes left to play being one goal down. It was quite an amazing performance, a fantastic effort on their part. It’s incredible that they can show the desire to fight on and they got their reward with Semih’s fantastic strike and in the penalty shoot-out. So I think congratulations to them and hard luck for Croatia as it’s a hard way to lose.”

Turkey are through to the semi-finals of the UEFA European Championship for the first time at Croatia’s expense after a thrilling match in Vienna was decided on penalties after the two sides had swapped goals in the final moments of extra time.

Sensational comeback
When Ivan Klasnić headed in Luka Modrić’s cross with a minute of the overtime period to play, Croatia looked to have booked their place in Wednesday’s semi-final against Germany. However, for the third game running, Turkey sensationally hit back at the death to force the first shoot-out of these finals when Semih Şentürk drove in, with the aid of a deflection, from just inside the area. They went on to win 3-1 on penalties after Rüştü Reçber saved Mladen Petrić’s kick following earlier misses from Modrić and Ivan Rakitić. Turkey coach Fatih Terim, though, will struggle to get a team together to play Germany with Emre Aşık, Tuncay Şanlı and Arda Turan all suspended along with Volkan Demirel after being booked here.

Nervy start
Terim, without the banned Volkan Demirel and Mehmet Aurélio and with injuries also taking their toll, made four changes from the side that defeated the Czech Republic dramatically to reach the quarter-finals. The 35-year-old Rüştü, who had played against Croatia coach Slaven Bilić at EURO ‘96™, started in goal, while Bilić reverted to the team that had beaten Germany en route to topping Group B. With so much at stake, both sets of players made nervy starts. On five minutes Turkey right-back Sabri Sarıoğlu’s misplaced pass allowed Rakitić to dart to the byline and he pulled the ball back for Darijo Srna whose shot was blocked by Hakan Balta. It was a portent of things to come as Croatia probed with success down both flanks with Terim’s reshuffled back line struggling to cope with their slick passing.

Olić denied
For Turkey, Hamit Altıntop flashed an early effort wide and Robert Kovač bravely blocked his free-kick, but Bilić’s men were soon in the ascendancy and should have gone ahead on 18 minutes. Croatia fans had descended on Vienna en masse during a baking hot day and they roared as one when Modrić raced clear on the right. His low centre singled out Ivica Olić who crashed a shot off the crossbar before Niko Kranjčar headed the rebound over. Just as against Austria, Croatia lost their way when it looked like they were ready to take a stranglehold on proceedings. Turkey began to enjoy more of the possession and though chances were few, Mehmet Topal drew a gasp from the crowd with a 30-metre drive that whistled just wide.

Rüştü saves
The traffic was soon flowing back towards Rüştü, with Croatia almost given a goal four minutes after the restart. Gökhan Zan’s weak header let Olić in and the veteran goalkeeper had to race off his line to get a finger to the striker’s headed attempt. Rüştü saved from Kranjčar moments later and then, on 70 minutes, Rakitić fired over after a neat one-two with Olić had given him a clear sight of goal inside the box. Knowing their side’s propensity for late goals Turkey supporters grew in confidence as extra time loomed. But as the clocked ticked down Croatia again came close, Rüştü brilliantly tipping away Srna’s curling free-kick on 83 minutes, then blocking from Olić.

Incredible climax
Having taken the match to added time, Turkey started to show more adventure. Stipe Pletikosa did well to parry after Emre Aşık had skipped through the Croatia defence and was then grateful to see Tuncay’s drive flash wide on 102 minutes. In an incredible climax, Klasnić would head Croatia in front in the final minute – Modrić capitalising on an error by Rüştü to provide the assist – only for Semih to hit back with the last kick of the game. His deflected strike flew past Pletikosa, leaving it to a shoot-out to finally tilt the balance in Turkey’s favour.